Tawny Owl - Isle of Wight

Tawny Owls, (Strix Aluco) or Brown Owls as they are sometimes referred to, are common and widespread throughout Europe. They are also the commonest raptor in Britain. It is quite a dynamic bird, about the size of a pigeon, with a weight ranging around 385 grams – 800 grams, the female of the species being larger than the male. The tawny Owl’s retina has 56,000 light sensitive rod cells per square millimetre – around 36 million per square inch. It is a nocturnal hunter, feeding on field mice, vole, shrew and the House Sparrow.